Thin film transistors (TFTs) are known, and are of considerable commercial significance. For instance, amorphous silicon-based TFTs are used in a large fraction of active matrix liquid crystal displays.
TFTs with an organic active layer are also known. See, for instance, F. Garnier et al., Science, Vol. 265, pp. 1684-1686; H. Koezuka et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 62 (15), pp. 1794-1796; H. Fuchigami et al., Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 63 (10), pp. 1372-1374; G. Horowitz et al., J. Applied Physics, Vol. 70 (1), pp. 469-475, and G. Horowitz et al., Synthetic Metals, Vol. 41-43, pp. 1127-1130. These devices typically are field effect transistors (FETs). Such devices potentially, have significant advantages over conventional TFTs, including a potentially simpler (and consequently cheaper) fabrication process, the possibility for low temperature processing, and compatibility with non-glass (e.g, plastic) substrates. Bipolar transistors that utilize both p-type and n-type organic material are also known. See, for instance, U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,129. S. Miyauchi et al., Synthetic Metals, 41-43 (1991), pp. 1155-1158, disclose a junction FET that comprises a layer of p-type polythiophene on n-type silicon.
However, despite considerable research and development effort, "organic" TFTs have not yet reached commercialization, at least in part due to relatively poor device characteristics of prior art organic TFTs.
An important device characteristic of a switching transistor is the on/off ratio of the source/drain current. Prior art organic TFTs typically have relatively low on/off ratios. For instance, H. Fuchigami et al. (op. cit.) recently reported a device that had carrier mobility comparable to amorphous silicon, but had an on/off ratio of only about 20 at -30 V gate-source voltage. That paper also discloses purification of semiconducting materials to reduce the carrier scattering by impurities.
H. Koezuka et al. (op. cit.) report attainment of an on/off ratio (modulation ratio) of the channel current of about 10.sup.5 in a device with doped polypyrole-coated (a highly conducting polymer) source and drain contacts. According to these authors, this is the highest on/off ratio achieved in organic FETs. Nevertheless, the reported on/off ratio is still substantially smaller than on/off ratios typically available in conventional FETs and demanded for many potential applications of organic TFTs. Furthermore, the organic TFT had very low carrier mobility (2.times.10.sup.-4 cm.sup.2 /V.multidot.s), and thus would not have been suitable for high-speed operation. European patent application No. 92307470.2 (publication No. 0 528 662 A1) discloses an organic FET that comprises a first organic layer that constitutes a channel between source and drain electrodes and is in contact with a second organic layer that is disposed between the gate electrode and the source and drain electrodes. The first and second organic layers are of the same conductivity type but differ in their carrier concentration.
In view of the potential significance of organic TFTs, it would be desirable to have available such devices that have improved characteristics, including improved on/off ratio of the source/drain current. This application discloses such devices, and a method of making the devices.